How to Build a Hillside Path

[@davebuerger]

Since producing the video, I have completed more than a half mile of hillside paths. In the photo below, the path you saw in the video is in the upper left corner by the utility pole. In foreground, a major segment of new path doglegs to the right and loops back across the lower hillside. photos.app.goo.gl/7g2kQs9fxEB3qeQZ6

[@randyrice1429]

Just what I needed to know. Have a lovely wooded area on my property, but it's too steep to walk through. May enlist help of my son and his buddies. I am old lady who likes to walk, but doesn't like to dig. Thanks for sharing. It looks far simpler than I imagined since there are no retaining walls or toppings on the path. Love it. So natural.

[@geriscott6379]

This is precisely the approach I’ve been looking for to navigate a steep hillside in my yard. I’ve planted a mini fruit orchard on it, but the terrain has been too steep to easily reach the trees. Most of the searches I’ve done recommended building terraces or installing paving materials, but that is far too manicured for the look I want. This is perfect - and neither too difficult nor too expensive for a property owner to do. Thanks for sharing it!

[@Lifeinvillagess]

Your resourcefulness is truly admirable!

[@cjarma012]

I enjoyed this. From Australia!

[@benhollenbach1241]

Dave, you are an artist. Thank you.

[@elsagrace3893]

Great job, Dave! I didn’t know I needed this until you gave it to me. Thanks.

[@kathleenlarson2299]

Excellent video and that is how we will do it. Looks a lot like our property. Thank you!

[@ChristianGustafson]

Will apply these esoteric wisdoms in the North Cascades soon. Thank you for this.

[@jesseholliday3480]

Love it (from 3 years in the future)

[@davebuerger]

It's still there! Used every day by humans and dogs alike! Even local planes make a U-turn to check out the hillside design.

[@nessieb8422]

Wow that was a lot of work. Nice job, looks beautiful!

[@donnybuddz]

This is great thank you

[@ehlincoln]

Thanks - we started using a shovel and then watched your video. Time to buy a pick ax - thanks for the guidance!

[@firstactress]

Beautiful 👍thanks for this. I’ll do my own path now.

[@riverunner9978]

I’m obsessed with paths. I’m putting a pea stone gravel on in my gardens! I like all paths.

[@lesliejohnson8738]

Thank you for sharing this very helpful video.

[@melissajoe3439]

nice, thanks for the idea🙏🏻

[@glorgau]

Nice. Once that path is in place and done intelligently it will last for many decades.

[@Erock691]

Incredible work Dave! I can’t wait to do something like this hopefully soon in my own town. It’s not quite as picturesque as this but still would be a huge boon for the community.

[@norcalsurfing]

Great work Dave!

[@galileofig]

lovely

[@1Peterstewart]

Great video. Very helpful, thanks for sharing

[@LGGGlove]

Great job I am design a new garden was a stunning instruction

[@cris_balm7460]

Philosophy and path building 🙏🏼👌🏼😁

[@danielshanklin7397]

Thank you, Dave

[@rogerlucas8833]

Nice music

[@davebuerger]

Thank you!

[@ShakespeareCafe]

best to build in the spring when the ground is soft

[@philexz9653]

Nice job. Thank you. I need to rent a helicopter to build a path. :-)

[@antoniobrown3219]

Nice 👌🏾

[@randomstuffaustralia4074]

Thanks

[@dunnkruger8825]

Nice

[@DJ-uk5mm]

I build the path, mainly on contour, and use a rotavator

[@1rstjames]

I could have saved two semesters of law school implementing this on the low instead of foolishly seeking approval from my County Administrative Offices. I'm sure one of the Federal, State, or Local Regulatory Agencies will have a problem with this video, but by God, it is the only thing that practicably makes Permaculture practicable. If a landowner is unable to do this in their landscape, there is no point to landownership.

[@davebuerger]

😁You, sir, have my permission to proceed with this project forthwith! Thanks for watching

[@1rstjames]

@@davebuerger Just got told by a Dept of Grading agent that doing this without a permit is illegal in all 50 States.

[@jyienger]

I rented a small mini excavator and made mile of these in a week on my acreage tract. Will do that work in a few hours.

[@davebuerger]

This is an efficient approach, especially for a long path. However, the result can look "industrial." It's hard to get subtle flows cut into a hillside's surface variations. If you want art, I'd go with the hand-tool approach. If you need to get there fast, fire that machine right up!

[@jyienger]

@@davebuerger I agree with you, every situation is different. They do make extremely small micro excavators tho :). Nice. Work. Greats paths.

[@josepheveson6187]

Don’t you need to put sand and gravel on it or something? To stop it eroding and washing away?

[@davebuerger]

The answer may depend on your local weather. Here in northern California, there is a long dry season and a shorter "rainy" season. My paths are hard packed and stable with daily use. There are a few short sections (mainly in areas where water runs downhill in winter) of semi-crumbly dirt. Every now and then I think, "I should grab the pickaxe and tweak those spots." but they're totally functional and I never get around to it. Maybe those of you who've built paths in other climate areas could comment on your experience?

[@davedive192]

Hi Dave. thanks for the beautifully made video. Loved it. I have been searching to find some ideas on how to make a path for our newly acquired place in Italy. It is a green patch but VERY steep. I have been planning to put a zig-zag path there until we can come up with a genius idea on how to use the land. Do you have any advice or what I should think of when making a similar path in a zig-zag pattern? Do I need to make a bend at each end or can I just join them as straight lines? Thanks a lot in advance Dave, Dave (I'm Dave too:-)

[@davebuerger]

Thank you! Zig zags are very handy for traversing step land. I have used both bends and sharp angles. It depends on the slope. I always go with bends, when possible, as they do not interrupt walking as much as a sharp angle does. However, there is one section of my path at the edge of a vertical cliff. That zig zag is radically sharp to deliberately make you walk slow for safe passage. Missing that turn would be a disaster! Here's a photo of another somewhat sharp angle. What was treacherous before is now a nice, peaceful stroll. photos.app.goo.gl/8kDAJDEuQYV6LRqR6

[@davedive192]

@@davebuerger Thanks. I am trying to visualize how I can join two lines at the edge. it should be like a "y" where the lower line is made by cutting into the upper line?

[@davebuerger]

@@davedive192 This photo shows the sharp angle during the process of digging it out of the steep hillside. photos.app.goo.gl/ZDSodXAGBuVxpBU99 And this photo shows the finished state. You almost step up or down at the turn depending on direction. Walking speed is almost at a standstill while turning your body in the new direction. More like a pivot move. Move too far and you're falling off the cliff! photos.app.goo.gl/iCRFgBF6tgoTTbs5A

[@peterslegers6121]

Maybe a bit late, but this video might be interesting: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eomxinaYg990epI Constructing Trail Switchbacks, USDA Forest Service, 2000. Learn how to plan, lay out, construct, and maintain switchbacks. And this one for erosion guide lines: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mnXPc596eayqa7c 11 Principles of (MTB) Trail Design.

[@4alberich]

I'm about to embark on a similar project. Is it always best to cut the upper side rather than build up the lower side?

[@davebuerger]

You can't build up the lower side until you cut dirt from the upper side. Both things happen at the same time. See the "Finishing" section toward the end of this video. After you've cut the initial path and firmed up the dirt by walking on it for a while, you do another cut deeper into the hill. That dirt is spread across the path covering your first pass -- plus some spill over the outer edge. Pound that down and walk the path. Then you're done!

[@jameswaters313]

Dave, what county are you in? I'm looking at buying a Hill side land in NorCal that got burn up years ago. There's no access road. Ya think I can cut a 4x4 path the same way?

[@davebuerger]

If you want to cut a road, you should consider heavier equipment. Your county might also require a permit for a road. We footpath diggers are much more low key!

[@jameswaters313]

@@davebuerger 4x4/atv trail no road yet. Just to get access in to a camp site until I'm ready for a legit road. How long did your trail take and how long is it?

[@benfendel]

I’ve done something similar across my hillside, which is considerably steeper than your hill. As a result, my cut (uphill) side is 2.5-3 feet, even a bit taller, in spots. Tried to cut at a slight angle so it’s not a sheer drop, but worried that cut wall will erode over time. I have neither the budget nor the desire to create a wood/block retaining wall behind this cut “dirt wall.” At this point it seems stable, has been through some strong rains already, but should I be worried the hill above my path will erode down onto the path? Is there some sort of dirt hardening spray I can treat my dirt wall with so that it lasts?

[@davebuerger]

Probably depends on how much water descends from above the steep cut. If the cut is near the center of a crowned area that pushes water to the sides, the risk of erosion is lower. If the cut is on an inside curve that conducts downhill water flow toward the center, there could be an issue. The spray idea is interesting. I have seen concrete used like a cover coating but it was ugly. Good luck!

[@Lee-xs4dj]

Find the natural places the water flows during storms and then put a small section of concrete piping under the path down from the wall to create water drain point. Stops erosion on your path

[@bobee-kayclark1402]

I am so happy you shared this. I needed an affordable way to access the bottom of my property…and now I have it. Thanks! (I may cover the path with tree mulch and line the sides with the inevitable rocks I uncover.

[@tolndakoti]

That is a Mattock, not a pickaxe.

[@davebuerger]

Technically, you are correct! But the terms are used interchangeably in common vernacular. You're the first person to bring this up in 106,463 views.

[@MrBeck-ly1kb]

where was video recorded ?

[@davebuerger]

Northern California

[@mountainviewvintage386]

Or use a dirt stamper

[@briangeorge142]

Any tricks to dealing with moist soil? Especially around the slightly steeper sections and around switchbacks or turns?

[@davebuerger]

Steeper slope + moist soil are a recipe for sliding. With this condition, the two-step process is mandatory, where you did a narrow path and compact the soil by walking over it daily for weeks, even a month or so prior to digging deeper into the hillside to widen the path. Allowing time to pass will also let the soil dry and harden. Sorry - no way to accelerate this so have patience. Winter is a tough time for path building on a steep slope!

[@briangeorge142]

Thanks! Yes it’s tricky - we have a beautiful 3 acre property with a creek and old growth forest on the back half, but to get to it requires getting down the steep slope with brush and lots of weedy vegetation. So starting in the winter is trying to get something going that’ll hopefully survive some of the spring growth. Thinking of using some natural wood chips as well to hopefully prevent the weeds coming up too quickly in the spring. We shall see!

[@davebuerger]

@@briangeorge142 If there is substantial ground cover / brush, I strongly suggest you clear it before you cut the path. Being able to see all the possibilities of where the path could go will help you make good choices. Part of the pleasure of your path will be the journey of exploring options for placement. Take your time!

[@relaxingnature2617]

Its easier to use a rototiller ..aim it uphill and hold it in place, it will dig the high side down

[@awesomepumashoes]

Cool and it’d be easier to use a helicopter to get to work downtown but we can’t all use price-inflated machinery for simple tasks

[@РаисаКарзонова-н6ф]

Вполне логично, я бы также сделала... но у нас практически нет таких участков. Кругом глухая тайга...север, холод...

[@davebuerger]

Мы живем в совершенно разных местах, но в каждом есть своя неповторимая красота. Гитарист, исполняющий музыку в этом видео, - Сергей Арзуманов из Москвы. Его талант красиво добавил настроения этому видео. Спасибо за просмотр и за то, что поделились своими мыслями. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jqnFZ4WroNWMgpo

[@jefff6167]

👍🇺🇸

[@davebuerger]

Spring weed whacking clears the path and helps you watch for rattlesnakes! photos.app.goo.gl/QGgXKhusqwymbdb88

[@САМСЪМДРУГИНЯМА-м4с]

ПОЗДРАВИ ОТ БЪЛГАРИЯ : )

[@davebuerger]

Сега е идеалното време в България да създадете свой собствен път.

[@davebuerger]

Може да се насладите и на това музикално видео, което направих наскоро: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ipnWZ6eZa62GmNk

[@MontanaGrizzsky]

They make these things called excavators

[@davebuerger]

Using an excavator wouldn't work because then you would have been unable to hear the birds and the music.

[@sterlingprice5100]

Great path. Is this California? I ask because when I saw the helicopter come in to swap out the pole, I thought that only in bankrupted CA would they ever spend sooo much taxpayer money to put a new pole up. Where I live (Southern Missouri in the Ozarks), the county would use a truck, and if you ask nicely, they'll let you keep the old pole. Deploying a helicopter to do the task would cost a fortune. When I saw that I was like, yep, must be CA where they mismanage everything, run through taxpayer money like it's going out of style, then want to be bailed out so they can start squandering money all over again. Great path though. Peace.

[@paulsholar9356]

What a rube you are. California has one of the top 5 largest economies in the world. It left behind places like Missouri decades. The last time I drove across Missouri, I noticed the large signs for adult bookstores on every freeway exit.

[@sterlingprice5100]

@@paulsholar9356 , California is always in the red. It's leftist leaders can't balance its budget because of mismanagement, waste, and corruption. Adult book stores? Maybe in the leftist wastelands of St. Louis or K.C, but look, California is worse than Sodom and Gomorrah buddy and you know it.

[@antoniskoutsouras7684]

not the best to dig in summer when soil is hard as rock. In winter its much much easier

[@davebuerger]

Optimal digging time will depend on your climate. Here in northern California, if you dig in the wet winter season, rainfall will quickly take out the freshly dug path. Spring/early summer is better because the moist, easy-to-dig-and-sculpt soil hardens as you constantly walk the path. That's the end goal: a safe, rock-solid path impervious to rain or snow.